All Rise...

Editor's Note

The Charge

Love blows.

Opening Statement

After the content they delivered in the '90s, it's hard to imagine the
Farelly brothers coming off as tired old directors a decade later. With The
Heartbreak Kid, though, it's quite clear that they no longer have a grip on
the genre that they helped to reinvent. Between the uninspired direction and a
nearly visible power struggle between star, original script, and directorial
team, this film is a painful mess.

Facts of the Case

We begin with Eddie (Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder, a sporting goods
store owner and unhappy bachelor. He has a whirlwind romance with the beautiful
but quirky Lila (Malin Akerman, 27
Dresses) and marries her before really getting to know her. After the
wedding, she transforms into a bit of a monster, and he is left regretting his
rush on his Mexican honeymoon. There, he meets Miranda (Michelle Monaghan, Eagle Eye), who he immediately recognizes
as the girl of his dreams. Of course, instead of dealing with this out in the
open, he deceives Lila that he has met another woman, and deceives Miranda that
he is married—to disastrous results.

The Evidence

In the late '90s, the Farelly brothers redefined the romantic comedy for a
new generation with There's Something
About Mary. At the time, it was completely shocking and totally hilarious,
as crude as a college frat comedy but with a genuine dose of heart as well. They
have been trying to match that success ever since, as have a number of other
directors. It's hard to capture that perfect balance of potty and pathos.

Recently, however, that balance has been consistently acheived by another
man, whose collective attempts have polished the genre that the Farelly brothers
gave birth to a decade ago. Judd Apatow and friends have delivered The 40
Year old Virgin, Knocked Up, and
Forgetting Sarah Marshall, films that
deliver more than the Farellys ever did themselves. They demonstrate the same
balance of dirt and heart, but where they continue to entertain, the newest
effort of the Farelly brothers simply falls flat.

Indeed, The Heartbreak Kid makes a fascinating companion piece to
Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Both center around a honeymoon resort, and a
man who finds true love while simultaneously trying to escape an existing lover.
Both feature men who are disillusioned by love, men who have no remaining
dignity. Unfortunately, The Heartbreak Kid is missing a key part of the
formula. There's not much to like about Eddie. He starts out as a pathetic
loser, which is par for the course, but instead of blossoming into a likeable
guy who deserves a second chance, he ends up being a pretty much complete prick.
By the end, his journey has descended so far into madness and poor
decision-making that we don't actually want him to succeed.

The screenplay makes the same kind of journey. Lila's transformation from
dreamboat to monster is so complete and sudden that it isn't even that
funny—it's simply bizarre. The second half of the movie also bursts into
kitchen-sink mode, as every character, situation, and gag are tossed haphazardly
onto the screen. The worst offender is Carlos Mencia, who's "uncle
Tito" character makes no sense and has no place in the screenplay. I
suspect these problems may be due to a glut of creative talent on the project. A
screenplay from Neil Simon is adapted by the Farelly Brothers, who then cast Ben
Stiller, who is also noted as a creative talent. When all of this creativity
comes together, we don't get movie magic. Instead, we just get a colorful
mess.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

Speaking of color, the Blu-ray transfer is reasonably impressive. Most of the
film takes place in Mexico, and the cinematography leans on the garish location
shooting. The colors and contrast look great in high definition, just as you
would expect from a recent film. There's nothing that makes it a reference
quality transfer, but it is a clear step up from what DVD can deliver. The audio
is also fine, though ultimately forgettable. I never had a hard time hearing the
dialogue in the Dolby HD track, and the inexplicably music choices (David
Bowie?) come through just fine. It's a comedy, of course, so an earsplitting
cacophany from all channels is hardly expected.

It seems most of the special features here have been ported over from the
original DVD, some in standard definition, and some in high def. From the
commentary and featurettes, it seems like they were having a blast. Too bad the
fun never reaches the screen. The list of actual features is the same as the
DVD, so that's no reason to upgrade. For the record, we get a commentary, a slew
of little featurettes, deleted scenes and a gag reel.

Closing Statement

If you have yet to catch the Farellys' latest shock comedy, you would be much
better served looking elsewhere. For fans of the film, there is little reason to
upgrade, aside from marginally better picture quality. Sadly, though, this is a
film that definitely doesn't live up to its considerable expectations going in.
The Heartbreak Kid is not the return to form we've been waiting for from
this pair of crazy brothers.

The Verdict

The Heartbreak Kid is guilty of making me squirm and not making me
laugh.